Cream Cheese Semifreddo with Maple and Balsamic
By Joe
Source: NYT Cooking.
A velvety frozen dessert combining tangy cream cheese with a rich egg yolk base, finished with a sophisticated balance of sweet maple and sharp balsamic vinegar.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Line. Line a 20 cm loaf tin with cling film. Whip 240 ml chilled double cream to stiff peaks and keep it in the fridge.
- 2
Whisk. Whisk 5 egg yolks, 100 g caster sugar, 1 tsp vanilla and ¼ tsp fine salt in a heatproof bowl. Ensure you mix them immediately so the sugar does not make the yolks grainy.
- 3
Cook. Set the bowl over gently simmering water and whisk constantly for 5-7 min until pale and 71 °C. Remove from the heat and whisk for 8-10 min until the mixture cools to room temperature.
- 4
Combine. Beat the cooled yolk mixture with 200 g softened cream cheese for 3-4 min using a stand mixer. Scrape the sides down to ensure the base is completely smooth.
- 5
Fold. Gently fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream using a silicone spatula. Stop just before the two mixtures are fully incorporated to maintain the light texture.
- 6
Freeze. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and wrap it well. Freeze for at least 12 h until the semifreddo is solid.
- 7
Serve. Dip the base of the tin in warm water for a few seconds, turn the semifreddo out and peel off the film. Cut 2.5 cm slices with a hot, dry knife and top each with maple syrup, a few drops of balsamic vinegar and a pinch of flaky sea salt.
Storage
Wrap well and keep in the freezer up to 2 weeks; slice straight from the freezer with a hot, dry knife.
Free sugars
24.8 g per serving
49.6 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 99.2 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- 20 cm (1 litre) loaf tin
- cling film
- stand mixer with whisk
- heatproof bowl
- small saucepan
- instant-read thermometer
- silicone spatula
Nutrition per serving Calculated from USDA FoodData Central
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 401 kcal |
| Protein | 5.4 g |
| Carbohydrate | 29.5 g |
| of which sugars | 27.5 g |
| of which free sugars | 24.8 g |
| Fat | 29.7 g |
| of which saturates | 17.3 g |
| Fibre | 0 g |
| Salt | 0.6 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
1.3 g High protein needs ≥ 5 g per 100 kcal (20% of energy) and ≥ 10 g per serving
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
